Kamen Rider Kabuto
is a Japanese tokusatsu superhero television series. It is the sixteenth installment in the popular Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu programs. It is a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei. The series was broadcast on TV Asahi. The first episode aired on January 29, 2006, and with the final episode airing on January 21, 2007, completing the series with 49 episodes. It aired alongside '' for Super Hero Time 2006. The series represents the 35th anniversary of the Masked Rider Series, as indicated by a notice at the beginning of the pilot episode reading, in Japanese, "Kamen Rider 35th Anniversary Production." Kamen Rider Kabuto is the first Kamen Rider Series to be broadcast in high-definition format. The series' catchphrases are and . The average ratings of the series is 7.72%.http://www10.atwiki.jp/shichouseiko/pages/17.html Story The story revolves around a man named Souji Tendou. He has trained his entire life while waiting for the Kabuto Zecter so that he may properly take up the name of Kamen Rider Kabuto. Making many enemies while at the same time meeting other Riders with mysterious origins of how they got there, Tendou attempts to accomplish his goal at all costs: destroying all Worms that otherwise threaten humanity. He meets Arata Kagami, who later becomes Kamen Rider Gatack, the two work together to save humanity from the alien Worms that arrived from a meteorite seven years ago. Characters Masked Rider System TV Show Movie-exclusive Stageshow-Exclusive Allies *Hiyori Kusakabe *Jyuka Tendou *Yumiko Takemiya *Gon *Jiiya ZECT *Negishi *Masato Mishima *Shuichi Tadokoro *Riku Kagami *Yuzuki Misaki *Renge Takatori Neo ZECT *Shura Hokuto Villains *Worms Allusions The series made some allusions to the whole Kamen Rider series. Masked Rider Project as mentioned in the course of the series was said to be started on 3 April 1971. The Worm species known as Natives also first arrived on Earth on the same year. In real-life, it was the date the first Kamen Rider show aired for the first time. Some of the Riders in the series are based on insect motifs previously used in the series to commemorate the franchise's 35th anniversary, mostly from the Showa Era. *Kabuto/Stronger: Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle *TheBee/Super-1: Vespa family *Drake/V3: Dragonfly *Kickhopper/Kamen Rider 1 and Punchhopper/Kamen Rider 2: Acrididae Family *Kuuga/Gatack: Stag Beetle Episodes Other media Manga # S.I.C. Hero Saga #Since 1986'' Novels # ## Cast * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : Guest actors * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : Suit actors *Kamen Rider Kabuto, Kamen Rider Dark Kabuto: *Kamen Rider Gatack, Kamen Rider TheBee: *Kamen Rider Drake, Kamen Rider TheBee: *Kamen Rider Sasword, Kamen Rider Dark Kabuto: *Kamen Rider Kick Hopper: *Kamen Rider Punch Hopper: *ZECTroopers: , , Songs ;Opening themes : *"NEXT LEVEL" **Lyricist = Shoko Fujibayashi **Composer / Arranger = Cher Watanabe **(Singer = YU-KI **Episodes: 1-48 ;Ending themes : *"FULL FORCE" **Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi **Composition: Nishi-ken **Arrangement: Cher Watanabe **Artist: RIDER CHIPS **Episodes: 2-3, 5-9, 13-30 *"LORD OF THE SPEED" **Lyrics: Shoko Fujibayashi **Composition: Cher Watanabe **Arrangement: Rider Chips, Cher Watanabe **Artist: RIDER CHIPS & Yuki Sato **Episodes: 31-46 35th Masked Rider Anniversary File During episodes 23 through 27, this segment called the ''35th Masked Rider Anniversary File, acted as a look back to the franchise and an early advertisement for the God Speed Love movie. These look backs are held in a movie theater and the segment is hosted by Souji Tendo (Kamen Rider Kabuto), Arata Kagami (Kamen Rider Gatack), Tetsuki Yamato (Kamen Rider Ketaros), Yuzuki Misaki, and Masato Mishima. During these five segments, they discuss the history of the Kamen Rider franchise, sometimes in a comedic tone, but always with serious background music. *''Episode 23'' (Rider Kicks): The group watches and Yamato narrates the variations of Rider Kicks during the course of the years. Yamato mentions about the Rider Double Kick of Kamen Riders 1 and 2, Kamen Rider V3's V3 Kick, Kamen Rider X's X Kick, and Kamen Rider Super-1's ten various kicks. In the end, Kagami stands up and does his own Rider Kick (he even shouts the attack name) and falling into his seat with Yuzuki looking. Tendo asks Yamato, "Who are you?" *''Episode 24'' (Criminal Organizations): The group watches and learns about the different criminal organizations the Kamen Riders had to fight. Villains include Shocker & Gel-Shocker in the first Kamen Rider, Destron from Kamen Rider V3, and King Dark (of the Government of Darkness) in Kamen Rider X. Footage of Black Satan, first enemy of Kamen Rider Stronger, is also shown. Tendo then supposes that it is the Kamen Rider's destiny to fight an organization. Mishima tells Tendo that ZECT will show no mercy to anyone who fights them. Yamato then says that he will definitely smash Neo-ZECT for rebelling against and splitting off from ZECT. *''Episode 25'' (Rhinoceros Beetle-Themed Kamen Riders): The group watches Kamen Rider Stronger, and Kagami quickly thinks that Stronger himself is Kabuto, and looks at Tendo confused. Misaki corrects him, informing him that this is a different Rider, using the rhinoceros beetle as a design. Mishima then announces that it is Kamen Rider Stronger. The camera then zooms on Tendo's face as he says that while this Rider may be Stronger, he (referring to himself) is the strongest. Tendo pronounces "Stronger" and "Strongest" in English, (due to the fact that Hiro Mizushima, who portrays Tendou, is fluent in English). Yamato then also speaks of the Kabutech Riders (Caucasus beetle, Heracus beetle, and Ketaros beetle, the last of whom Yamato happens to be), which are also Rhinoceros Beetle Riders (as the Caucasus, Hercules, and Centaurus beetles are rhinoceros beetle sub-species). Also, despite being a Rhinoceros Beetle Rider, Kamen Rider Blade (also a Hercules beetle) was omitted. At the end, Tendo stands up and miniature hexagons with Tendo's face appear, forming a compound eye pattern as Tendo says once again that he is "the man who walks the path of heaven that will rule over everything." *''Episode 26'' (Riders Everywhere): The group watches Kamen Rider and Yamato comments on Skyrider's Sailing Jump, then says that the Riders can go anywhere around the world. In addition, they are not restricted to the ground. Then, Misaki mentions the Riders can even now go into space. During this segment, they watch footage of Kamen Riders 1 through ZX training with each other in Kamen Rider 1's base on Arizona in the final episodes of Kamen Rider Black RX, followed by footage from God Speed Love. Tendo then coins a variant his trademark quote ("Now, I will truly walk down the path of heaven and rule over all."). *''Episode 27'' (Kamen Rider Ultimate Forms): Kamen Rider Stronger's upgrade is not mentioned (as it is not an "Ultimate Form", but rather a temporary power upgrade) and the short starts with Yamato commenting on Black RX and his modes RX Roborider and RX Biorider. It then moves on to Kamen Rider Kuuga Ultimate Form, Kamen Rider Agito Shining Form, Kamen Rider Ryuki Survive, Kamen Rider Faiz Blaster Form, Kamen Rider Blade King Form, and Kamen Rider Armed Hibiki. Suddenly, Yamato and Tendou are about to duel with the others looking on and showing on screen is Kabuto's Ultimate Form, Hyper Form. International broadcasts Kabuto was broadcast in South Korea as Masked Rider Kabuto ( Gamyeon Raideo Gabuto) in 2008. In the Philippines, this show is currently broadcast on Cartoon Network dubbed into English. In Singapore, this show is also dubbed and debut on June 20, 2009, on Okto. In Malaysia,this show was dubbed in malay version on NTV7. Notes *This show and its Super Hero Time partner have both made changes to their shows that would differ from their past series. For example, Kamen Rider Kabuto was the first show to air at 24 fps and Boukenger would no longer have that classic look that the previous Super Sentai series would have. *This was the last Heisei-era Kamen Rider series to use only episode numbers in the titles for the entire series. From Den-O onward, the episode number is now includes the title at the beginning of each episode of the series. External links *'' '' at *[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/仮面ライダーカブト Kamen Rider Kabuto] at Japanese Wikipedia *[http://web.archive.org/web/20161014144927/http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/kabuto/ Kamen Rider Kabuto] at TV Asahi